CHAPTER 492: RAID THE ABODE (7)

With the echo and the possibility of finding the second head of the supposed drug trade, Evans was quick on his feet and had all the measures in place. Also, to hinder or divert attention from what they might be onto, they did not inform their chief, but rather, they divided to conquer, taking every single person they worked with by surprise by the end of the operation.

The two were of mutual thought that their Chief and co-workers were unreliable. For all they knew the chief could knock them off this and let someone else reap the possible glory... after all, he felt that the duo were a pain in his ass.

They did go in blind because they had to obtain concrete evidence to implement the needed backup or operation.

That night, a lone boat set off from T-Vino island. It was the same as any other night from one of the small ports and did not attract any attention at all.

Leon boarded that creaky fishing boat, blending in among crates of fish and grizzled seamen. A single seemingly light backpack was all he carried. No one asked questions as they had all had things they preferred to hide.

The boat wasn’t much, but it would take him where he needed to go ... an island small in size and population, mostly buried under rugged hills and dense, tangled forests. A place where trees whispered too much, and people not enough. That was how Leon thought of it.

Leon had read enough about this specific island to prepare himself. The locals were wary of strangers .... That had always been the case. Generations of isolation had fostered a healthy skepticism of outsiders, but Leon came prepared.

He had the perfect cover for such a place, a name, a backstory, and the kind of quiet manner that didn’t ask for attention - a travel writer seeking island myths and traditions, he dressed plainly, nodded often, and spoke only when addressed. He blended in effortlessly.

The islanders didn’t think much of his presence, though the time was short. After all, a man had come like that years ago ... quiet, mysterious, with a glint in his eye that spoke of far-off places. He had married their most beautiful woman then, a widow in life’s chokehold: broke, broken, and nearly invisible, with a toddler in tow.

He’d swept her away to the unknown. None had heard from her since, but there had been tales. No one knew where they were from, but some said she lived like a queen now. Others murmured she was never seen again because she wasn’t meant to be.

But even so, many locals -especially the women - harboured that buried, selfish wish: to be the one chosen, plucked from their grey little lives and taken into something grand. Who did not like that?

But that was all wishful thinking. Life here rarely changed. It had been for almost two decades, if not more.

The village itself was little more than a cluster of stone buildings and winding dirt paths, all huddled near the shore. Leon found the only local pub ... dimly lit, with stained walls and heavy with the scent of seawater and burnt oil. He scrunched his nose and took a seat near the back; after all, he was there to observe.

"A pint of beer!"

The bartender thumped the mug in front of him, spilling almost a third of the contents. Leon smiled, a leather notebook in his hand, and paid swiftly. He scribbled now and then, keeping his role, but he was listening.

With his adept skills, he soon found those who did not belong and focused his attention on them.

They talked in low tones, casting glances toward the wooden windows and in the direction of the forest beyond. It was a group in the corner ... a handful of rugged men and a clingy woman. They spoke of a delivery, of someone they called "Don Vino," and a place simply called "the Abode."

When they left, he waited just long enough not to be suspicious. Then he slipped into the silent paths.

He trailed them through narrow footpaths and up into the shadow of the hills, where the forest pressed close, and the sky vanished above. Their voices drifted in the distance ... half-whispers and low chants.

Leon knew that if they were not preoccupied with the clingy girl, and another who had joined them, they might have noticed his presence, not because of his lack of skills, but because the terrain was unfavourable. Every now and then, they would stop and grope the women, kissing, making out, without a care as they knew that they were alone. It was as if prepping for whatever was to come.

Then he saw a sunken opening in the ground, half-swallowed by roots and moss. Leon was sure that was what he was looking for, but even he had been unprepared for what they later uncovered.

He had thought that he had a bar of gold, they had unearthed, crates of it. It was a classic gem-find; months later, Leon still reeled from the experience he felt had been delivered onto his lap.

Leon took a cautious step closer, his breath barely louder than the rustling leaves. He needed to get the final confirmation.

"Take heart, you have come far enough..."

His heart hammered, and he was alert with precision.... However, a twig snapped behind him just as he reached for the camera in his inner jacket pocket.

He froze.

A sharp, guttural voice snarled, "Who’s there?"

Leon had seconds. He dove behind a thick root, holding his breath as two figures emerged from the darkness, lanterns swinging. They scanned the forest, curses flying in thick accents.

He waited, heart thudding, until their footsteps faded into the trees.

Close. Too close.

But it wasn’t a wasted night.

"Geez, you are too uptight this evening, that’s why I don’t like patrolling with you! Who would come to this forsaken island? Stop with all that ridiculousness!" One snapped,

’Why would anyone be patrolling a dense forest?’

Leon asked himself as he remained hidden and watched the two languish by the narrow opening into which the others had disappeared.

They rolled up pieces of paper and started smoking. Leon recognized the scent right away. He was giddy with happiness but stayed quiet. Patrolling meant that something was hidden, and Leon was almost sure what it might be.

His gaze darted to the moss-covered carvings around the stone opening. He snapped a quick photo—barely enough light, but the symbols beckoned to him silently. One mark, in particular, caught his attention: a symbol he had encountered previously, hidden in archived case files from years back. This symbol had been discovered carved into a tree close to the location where a fisherman mysteriously disappeared.

It was the same as in the case file the Chief had sent him. This was an unusual coincidence!

He crouched, pulled out a secure device from his boot, and sent a coded message to his backup on the mainland.

"Confirmed! Initiate plan. Proceeding with caution. Need eyes asap!"

He tucked the device away and retreated through the trees, each step heavy with the weight of discovery. He stayed low till the two patrollers dispersed into the depths, the same way as the initial thugs, and then Leon tried to follow them, only to notice that there was no path. It was as if he had never seen them pass through.

Leon searched and searched to no avail that night, but he was sure they were there, for people just did not disappear.

He gave up for appearances’ sake and returned for the night, only to find a couple of women waiting for him with covered food trays. Obviously, Leon knew what they presented. He politely declined them and ’retired for the night’.

He only feigned sleep for a while and slipped out through his rather small window.

Little did the islanders know that his quiet presence was about to unravel a big mystery that had plagued them: the mystery of the disappearing individuals—people who had vanished over decades, with no common thread and no explanation—was about to be blown wide open.

And the world, in its literal sense, would come running. Media, forensics and many others, heading to their secluded, silent island.

The shock of the truth would prove too much for many. Because for the first time in forever... they would be forced to face a reality they had never dreamed of.

***

T-Vino Island...

"Hello?"

Silence.

"Ermm.... Code name ****"

"What do you need?!"

"He said that we could call this if we needed help at any time...."

"What do you need?"

"Oh ermmmm... we need a backup force of about five people...."

"Do you think this is child’s play? Use the legal force if yo-"

"Oh, I’m sorry.... I don’t know how this works. My sincere apologies. In that case, may I get a team like the SW-. I’m sorry.... It’s like this. .... We think we may have uncovered a drug ring, but we ..."

Evans was very flustered on that call. In fact, when Leon had given him an old phone and told him to press one of the speed dial numbers with instructions, he had ben unsure of what to expect... but damn... was he surprised!

"What is the location?"

"It’s around the ..."

Evans gave as much information as he could, from what he knew.

"Ok, we have visuals..."

"Already? Eh ... I mean... that’s perfect!"

"Erm... when can we-"

"A truck is outside waiting for you. Give the code and get in...."

"Oh...."

*********

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